WEEKLY UPDATES: BLOGGIESTA IS COMING!

On By Laurel-Rain SnowIn weekly updates

 

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon, The Sunday Post and Stacking the Shelves, for weekly updates.

**Mailbox Monday is hosted at the home site: Mailbox Monday.

And let’s join Kathryn, our leader in It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, at Book Date.

 

Ooh, yummy cup of coffee!  My coffee pot died yesterday (it was too soon, I thought!), but sadly, I had to go get a new one.  However, there is nothing better tasting than a fresh pot from a brand new machine.  After buying it, and a few other things I will need for my beach weekend, I had lots of coffee (and mimosas) at Mimi’s.  Just to assuage my caffeine withdrawal until I could get home and make a pot.

 

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A week of mostly sunshine…again.  I even had to turn the air conditioner on for a little bit.  But…I am not certain that we are done with the rain.

Busy days, errands, appointments, including my annual physical exam..and THREE books read and reviewed.  My total at Read the Books You Buy:  27.

Guess what is coming this week!  Spring Bloggiesta, from March 20-26.  I’ve already started, as you can probably tell.  I will be working primarily on this blog, but the other five will get a tweak or two.

I am looking forward to more Big Little Lies on Sunday…and The Good Fight.  I am also hooked on Scandal again, on Netflix.

I had a nice long phone chat with my second son, the one from LA…he is the only one of my grown kids who actually enjoys talking on the phone instead of primarily texting. 

I’ve been missing my Skype calls from my eldest; the nine hour time difference and busy schedules can be such a barrier.  He and his wife did a recent photo shoot at the Prague Hilton.  Here they are, ready to go.

 

 

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Let’s take a peek at last week’s blog posts…and have another cup of coffee:

 

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LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

A Sunday Coffee Chat:  Planning My Day…

My Journey:  Book Musings…

Curl up with “The Futures”

A Journey through My Shelves….

Hump Day Sparks:  A Reading Journey

Spring Bloggiesta:  Sign-Up Post….

My Bookish (and Not So Bookish) Thoughts…

Bookish Friday:  “Never Change”

Interior Thoughts:  A Prague Photo Shoot….

Review:  The Mother’s Promise (e-book), by Sally HepworthReview:  The Futures (e-book), by Anna PitoniakReview:  Idaho (e-book), by Emily Ruskovich

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INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

One Vine Review book came in my mailbox…and I also received a purchased book.  Two NetGalley Review books came to my Kindle…and I purchased three downloads.

Small Hours, by Jennifer Kitses (Amazon Vine)

 

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California Dreamin’, Cass Elliot Before the Mamas & the Papas, by Penelope Bagieu (Purchased)

 

 

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Downloads:

Bridges:  A Daphne White Novel (e-book), by Maria Murnane (NetGalley – 4/4/17)

 

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The Idea of You (e-book), by Amanda Prowse – (NetGalley – 3/21/17)

 

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Every Wild Heart (e-book), by Meg Donohue – (Purchased)

 

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The Widower’s Wife (e-book), by Cate Holahan – (Purchased)

 

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Swimming Lessons (e-book), by Claire Fuller – (Purchased)

 

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WHAT’S NEXT?

Currently Reading:  Never Change (e-book), by Elizabeth Berg

 

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Then….some review books, etc., like these:

 

The Idea of You (e-book), by Amanda Prowse (NetGalley – 3/21-17)

 

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Bridges:  A Daphne White Novel (e-book), by Maria Murnane – (NetGalley – 4/4/17)

 

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One Perfect Lie (e-book), by Lisa Scottoline – (NetGalley – 4/11/17)

 

 

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That was my week!  What did yours look like?  Grab some coffee, a mimosa, and let’s chat:

 

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77 thoughts on “WEEKLY UPDATES: BLOGGIESTA IS COMING!”

    1. Thanks, Cleo, and the only part of the Big Little Lies series that is different, as far as I can tell, is the setting. Monterey, CA instead of Australia.

      Enjoy your week! I think Swimming Lessons sounds awesome.

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  2. Sometimes a dying appliance is a blessing in disguise to purchase an upgrade. At least that’s what I tell myself. 🙂 Congrats on your reading progress! Marvelous! None of my brothers enjoy talking to or even texting anyone who shares the same bloodline, but they’re all the do-for-me sort. I’m glad you have a son to speak with and enjoy conversation. My middle brother is stationed in Hawaii and it is difficult connecting. I hope you have a great week!

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    1. Thanks, Charlie, I love chatting with the son who calls on the phone…we both love movies, so we can talk for a long time about what he’s seen (he works in the industry).

      My eldest son is great to Skype with, if we can mesh our schedules…we talk for more than an hour sometimes.

      Yes, I like my new coffee pot, even though I got another Mr. Coffee. I think this one is a little bigger, and the coffee sure tasted great!

      Enjoy your week.

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  3. I don’t know how you manage to run several blogs and keep them all active. You are a very productive blogger. I barely manage to run one. I’m overwhelmed! Hehe but I’m enjoying it.
    I hope you enjoy all the books you’re currently reading and planning to read this week. Have a great week and happy reading. 😀

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    1. Thanks, Geybie, and it helps that I’m retired from my primary career…and blogging has taken over the time available.

      I am loving my books so far…and I also binge-watched Scandal most of yesterday, Enjoy your week!

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  4. I’m sorry your coffee maker broke down on you, but happy you were able to get a new one straight away. Life without coffee is just too hard!
    Your new arrivals look very good, both Bridges and The Idea of You intrigue me 🙂
    I hope you’ll be able to skype with your oldest again soon. It’s so hard to live far away, and when the time difference is so big, it just makes things more difficult.
    Have a wonderful week ahead and happy reading 🙂

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    1. Thanks, Lexxie…I do love Skyping with him….and hope to connect some time in the week ahead.

      I’m excited about both Bridges and The Idea of You. The latter is to be released very soon, so I must quickly read it. I just got it on Saturday!

      Enjoy your week…and I’m loving my coffee here!

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    1. Yes, so happy to have the new machine, although I will admit to some paranoia as I watched to see if it would work!

      As you can tell from my post, I had to stop for coffee at Mimi’s before heading home to assemble it. Lots of coffee there to get me through.

      Enjoy your week, Emma.

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    1. Thanks, Anna, I do enjoy that Bloggiesta offers the chance to redesign the blog(s)….but I also tend to change things in between those events, too.

      I am looking forward to the new week of books…enjoy yours!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Maureen…and I love Mimi’s, too. I am in a neighborhood full of great shops and restaurants, so whenever I think of moving to a more updated place, I pause. The neighborhood was why I came here…and apparently it is why I stay.

      I love going to restaurants in the area with my books.

      I think Bridges will be fun, too.

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  9. Literary Feline

    I am glad you are enjoying your new coffee pot. 🙂 Ours only gets use when my mom and in-laws are in town, I’m afraid. My husband will sometimes brew his tea in it, but that’s rare. We had lunch at Mimi’s the other day. My daughter loves their bread. I couldn’t resist bringing home some of their banana chocolate chip muffins. So good! I hope you have a wonderful week, Laurel-Rain! Thanks for visiting my blog.

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    1. Thanks, Wendy, and I love the muffins from Mimi’s too! When one comes with a meal, I take it home for the next morning.

      One of my sons is not a coffee drinker, so when I visit, it is torture! LOL. At one point, I brought my own coffee.

      Enjoy your week, and thanks for stopping by.

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    1. Oh, I love Big Little Lies, too…and Nicole Kidman is my favorite, although Reese is also good.

      I just finished watching The Good Fight (with some characters from The Good Wife).

      I am eager to read The Idea of You.

      Thanks for visiting, Erin, and have a great week.

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Ardis, and this show, and a few others, are the main reasons I continued HBO when I was considering removing the service.

      I do love talking to my kids…especially when they live far away. Enjoy your week!

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  13. That coffee pot is looking great, new is always kinda cute, but so long as it does its job! I don’t drink black coffee like that though, bit of a wuss when it comes to coffee drinking, tea is my go to drink. I read a good review for the Amanda Prowse book just this week, have to say I was tempted to request it when it came up on NetGalley but I resisted. I like what I have read of her.

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  15. Yay for the new coffee pot! Mine broke a little while ago and I had to go out and get coffee before I could figure out how to fix it! It was just a clog but my brain couldn’t understand simple tasks without coffee. Love the picture of your son and DIL at the photo shoot. They look so happy! Enjoy your new books and have a great week!

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    1. Thanks, Katherine, whenever I see a photo of the two of them, I miss them so much! We had a lot of fun in 2015 when they visited for three months. I can’t believe it has been that long already.

      I have to have my coffee in the mornings, and I was quite upset by the coffee pot’s betrayal…LOL. Tea just didn’t quite do it for me.

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    1. Thanks, Mary, my toaster and blender are the same color…I love red! I had a red microwave at one time, but when it died, I couldn’t find another one with the other features I wanted…sigh.

      Enjoy your week, and I like the look of The Widower’s Wife, too.

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  18. I’m not a coffee drinker but I do like dark chocolate. I have a little each day. It’s how I get my caffeine hit. Must be hard at times to have your sons live far. Thank goodness for today’s technology that makes communication easier. I want to do Bloggiesta but not sure I have time this week.

    You got some great books. Hope you enjoy them all.

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Laura, and I’m very grateful for Skype…and even Facebook! I keep up with them all there, too.

      I love dark chocolate! I need to pick some up when I go to the store.

      Enjoy your week…and your books.

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  19. Hi Laurel: Is Big Little Lies on HBO? How about The Good Fight — is that on regular TV? It sort of looks like The Good Wife eh? Some of the same actresses. I was a fan of The Good Wife so I’m sure I’d like The Good Fight. But sometimes I can’t find these things and which channel, LOL. You got a lot of books this week, enjoy!

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Susan, and yes, Big Little Lies is on HBO. The Good Fight is a show streaming from CBS: All Access, to which I subscribed, as it continues with some of the characters from The Good Wife…which I loved and miss. I even got an app from All Access for my iPhone, just in case.

      I mostly watch it on my laptop, as my BluRay doesn’t have that app. I could also connect the laptop to my TV via HDMI cable…if I want to see it on the big screen.

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  21. I’ve been wanting to watch Big Little Lies but I need to read the book first. I’m planning on getting to it soon.
    Swimming Lessons has such a lovely cover! That’s another book on my shelves I need to get to soon. Hope you have a great reading time with all your new books!

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    1. I am saving my recordings of Big Little Lies, as I am sure I’ll want to binge-watch it again after the series ends,

      I have heard good things about Swimming Lessons, so I’m excited to read it. Enjoy your week, Kay, and thanks for visiting.

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  22. I’m so glad to see you rated the Mother’s Promise 5 stars, I have it sitting here to read… hopefully very soon!

    Enjoy the rest of your books, most are new to me and I’ll be sure to add a few to my TBR wishlist!

    Amanda @ Mrs B’s Book Reviews

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    1. Oh, yes, definitely out of the blue….and I hadn’t had it that long! I’m hoping that one had a glitch…I hate to think this will be an ongoing thing.

      Thanks for visiting, Kathy…I hope your weather settles down, too. Ours seems to be spring-like now. More rain will come, I’m sure. Have a great week!

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    1. Oh, yes, here’s to another mimosa, Candace!

      I am saving my recordings of Big Little Lies, even though I’m watching each week. I’ll want to binge-watch afterwards.

      Thanks for visiting…and enjoy your week!

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  25. Brandie

    I have a copy of Every Wild Heart. Hoping it’s good!!
    I had to recently buy a new coffee pot, and I felt like it took a few rounds before I got that plastic inside taste out of it. Now it’s working well, and then I use a Keurig for my afternoon one (or two) cup. 😉
    Have a great week!

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    1. I enjoyed two other novels by the author, so I’m eager to read Every Wild Heart.

      Hope we both have long lives for our coffee pots…and I am eyeing a Keurig. I might need to go that route. My daughter swears by her French press, though.

      Thanks for visiting, Brandie, and enjoy your week.

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  26. Kathy Martin

    I enjoyed The Widower’s Wife when I read it for review a while ago. I can’t quite understand your need for coffee since I really, really dislike everything about it from the smell to the taste. My caffeine addiction is to Diet Pepsi. Come see my reading week here. Happy reading!

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  27. Ooh, mimosas! I haven’t had one for ages. Good for you on treating yourself and you keep yourself so busy. It must be amazing to live in Prague. Will you ever get a chance to visit them there? Thanks for stopping by this morning.

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  28. That is a tragedy to think that your coffee pot bit the dust. I french press so I don’t have to worry about a coffee pot giving out on me. However, French Presses do crack every once in awhile. Looks like you had a great reviewing week last week. I am curious about the Idaho book, I am going to go read your review.

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  31. It sounds like you had a busy week! That’s nice you sunshine! We had snow and cold most of the week but now it’s in the 80s. Ah Spring!

    I keep seeing One Perfect Lie on NetGalley and it looks so good. I hope you enjoy it!

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  33. Greg Hill

    Sorry I’m late to the party. My Internet went down Saturday and just came up today. How fun! But hey- a new coffee pot! Yay for that. And Mimi’s looks delightful. Hope the rain stays away and the sun is plentiful. We actually had some sun today- will wonders never cease lol?

    Glad you go t to talk to your youngest. Texting has taken over the world I think, so when someone actually WANTS to talk on a phone it’s like a big deal. 🙂

    I think The Widower’s Wife looks like a nice thriller. I saw that one on Amazon a whole back. And I’m loving Big Little Lies!

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    1. Oh, wow, when the Internet is down, there are so many things we can’t do! Sometimes I wonder how we managed before the Internet came along.

      Thanks for stopping by, Greg, and it’s never too late to come to the party.

      I am so glad to have a new coffee pot, and that I didn’t have to go without coffee very long…LOL.

      I enjoy Mimi’s…it’s a cozy place where I feel as though I’m right at home, (without having to cook, of course).

      I am loving Big Little Lies, too…and I am excited about The Widower’s Wife.

      I’m also happy to chat with at least one of my kids. Enjoy your week!

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  34. How nice – three 5 star reads – good week! I’m glad you got a new coffee pot and had nice long distance visits with your sons. Mimi’s looks like a fun establishment.You got lots of nice books I think I looked at The Idea of You – looks interesting. I hope you enjoy all your new books. Happy Reading!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Martha, and I’m enjoying The Idea of You. Mimi’s is one of my favorite neighborhood places. I love that there are a handful of favorite spots in my neighborhood. Have a great week!

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  37. Pingback: Books That Caught Our Eye | Mailbox Monday

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